MASSACHUSETTS SOCIETY. 3 



elapsed to prove conclusively how well tliey can bear the great 

 and sudden changes of a New England climate, still some opin- 

 ion may be formed, and, I think, a very good one. 



On their arrival in this country in May last, they were found 

 to have endured the voyage very well, and all to be in good 

 health and better condition than could have been expected. 

 After a week's feeding in the barn, they were turtied out to 

 pasture and treated in every respect as I treated my own cattle, 

 thinking that if they were to be a desirable breed of animals 

 for us to raise, they should be at once put to the test. They 

 were also housed at night, in the fall, at the same time with 

 the other cattle ; they are kept in a warm and sheltered barn, 

 but not more so than I conceive every good farmer, who has 

 any consideration for the comfort of his stock and the profit of 

 his business, should have, for I am well satisfied that quite as 

 much depends upon the care in keeping cows well cleansed 

 and warmly housed, as in their feed, for the production of a 

 large quantity of milk. 



Thus far they appear to bear the degree of cold we have 

 had the past months, as well as any of the native stocks, or of 

 the Ayrshire breed, of which I have several in my herd; and 

 perhaps it may be well to state here that, by some of the best 

 authorities, the Ayrshire is considered to be a cross between 

 the Jersey and the improved Short Horn ; at any rate, the Jer- 

 seys have a constitution, which enables them to endure a 

 Scotch winter without injury; atid if so, we can reasonably 

 infer that our winters will not be too severe for them. From 

 present experience, I am inclined to the opinion, that they will 

 suffer more from our extreme heat and drought, than from the 

 cold. 



In regard to their milking properties, they have not been 

 thoroughly tested, for every one at all coiiversant with cows, 

 knows very well, that a moderate journey of one hundred miles 

 will almost invariably redtice the product of milk from a cow 

 twenty-five per cent. ; how much, then, will a sea-voyage of 

 thirty days, and the consequent fatigue from which it will take 

 much lime to recover, and the change from grass to hay, to 

 which they were subjected. You can all judge of the effect 



